PROFESSIONAL CANTEEN STAFF

Wesley Sweetman

Youth Services Director

Wesley Holds a degree in Psychology and has worked in the Mental Health, Educational Support, and Youth Development fields. He offers support and advocacy to the young people who walk through the doors of the CanTeen. He is also a member of the Friends of the CanTeen.

Kiera McShane

Assistant Youth Services Director

Youth Board

The Greater Cicero Community Connections for Youth Board is an advisory board comprised of members from the four municipalities and school district that our Youth Bureau covers in northern Onondaga County – Towns of Cicero, Clay, Salina and the Village of North Syracuse, and the North Syracuse Central School District. Meetings are held monthly with our goals set for the calendar year in fall of the previous year. The creation of a Youth Board is a mandatory requirement to become a Youth Bureau. Members are appointed to serve 3 year terms and a minimum of three (3) Youth are required to be represented on the Board as well. The Youth Board was created and began meeting in January and was officially established by Town Board resolution March 2002. It was originally named the Cicero Youth Board until the membership requested to change their name to the current day “Greater Cicero Community Youth Board” to better reflect the vast partnerships that were forged since its inception and their wide reaching service area. The new name was adopted September 2004.

 

Mission Statement

To encourage youth to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives through positive relationships with adult role models in a safe, structured, environment and activities.

 

Vision

  1. Nurture ongoing relationships with caring adults in their lives – parents, mentors, tutors, coaches, clergy, etc.;
  2. Create safe places with structured activities during non-school hours;
  3. Encourage youth to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives;
  4. Foster skills through effective education;
  5. Develop opportunities to give back through community service;
  6. Engage youth as active participants;
  7. Create opportunities to develop and improve positive peer relationships;
  8. Provide a framework for the realization of one’s full potential

 

Cicero Youth Bureau Goals

Goal # 1: There will be continued effort to increase community awareness about the Cicero Youth Bureau, Youth Board, Friends of the CanTeen, Inc. and CanTeen.

Goal # 2: There will be a concerted effort to create Leadership opportunities for the youth in our community.

Goal # 3: There will be a continued effort to increase the community’s access to the resources available to youth through satellite locations in the northern suburbs.

Goal # 4: A continued effort to educate/raise awareness for the Youth Board and staff regarding issues that the youth feel are important including but not limited to: alcohol, tobacco, substance abuse, pregnancy, social media, cyber bullying, gender etc.

Goal # 5: Funding.

 

Celebrating 25 Years of Building Relationships!